6034. About the love of commanding and about the love of possessing the goods of the world
A French priest was seen. He was virtually lifeless; his flesh nonetheless felt like a live person's. People believed he had been artificially crafted as a person, without mental life, however. But later he spoke, saying that he is a Frankarnes fader 1, and that he is at times devoid of mental life, and that when his spirits come near, he has life for a while. It was said that the cause of this state was that in his character was the love, the desire, to have command over everything in the world, and that spirits withdraw from him because he wants to command them, and on occasion fresh spirits draw near. His lot is miserable.
[2] Certain ones are so to speak fools, like Gustav I, some as it were in chains, some in other conditions. Others too were seen who burned with a desire to command, who were virtually insane, possessing no rationality, like C[harles] XII 2, Er[ik] Benz[elius] 3, Jacob Benz[elius] 4, Landg[rev] 5H[enning] Gyllenborg 6, and others. They live a miserable life, because they are not permitted to perform any office because they have regard for themselves and do not care about useful service, and consequently cannot be led by the Lord: also Domprost 7Bredborg. Also, after this many together were heard at the same time from every side [saying] that they were living miserably and that they could not do anything other than some common task to which they were compelled and by which they were held in chains.
[3] After this I spoke [with] Gyllenborg the Father, who was the kind of person that had desired everything he saw. He too was in a miserable state, performing common tasks, namely [sewing] his own garments and the like. After this I heard many together who were similar, [saying] that they had come into utter poverty and finally look for work to do so that they can have food and clothing. On this account they then come into a place beneath the earth where they labor on various things and in the degree they labor they are clothed and fed.
[4] Those who have these loves, especially self-love, appear insane, and whenever they return [to sanity] they see themselves to be insane, but still they return to insanity, and never cease [being so]; they believe insanity is intelligence and cunning is prudence. Although they are insane, they are still extremely cunning, certain ones in the highest degree.
But it becomes their lot that they are devoid of intelligence and its vitality. They are like foolish people, not knowing what they are doing. Finally they are compelled to be servants.
I have frequently told them that they are in worse condition than brute animals, and they are too.
Footnotes:
1. Swedish for ԡ father (priest) of the French"
2. For information on this person see footnote to passage 4704.
3. Erik Benzelius the Elder (1632ֱ709), Swedish theologian and archbishop of Uppsala.
4. For information on this person see footnote to passage 5004.
5. Landgrev; Swedish for ԃount"
6. Henning Gyllenborg (1715ֱ775), a royal chamberlain, diplomat and councilor-of-state.
7. Domprost, Swedish for "Dean"
6034. THE LOVE OF RULING, AND THE LOVE OF POSSESSING THE GOODS OF THE WORLD.
Franc, the father, was seen, as it were destitute of life, but yet his flesh seemed like that of a living man. It was believed that he had become as it were a man, by art, yet without the life of thought; but he afterwards spoke, saying that he is the father of the Francs, 1and that he is at times destitute of the life of thought, and that when his spirits approach he lives for a time. The cause of that state was stated, namely, that there was in his disposition the love, or lust, of ruling over all things in the world, and that spirits recede from him, because he wants to govern them; and when new ones approach, his lot is wretched.
Some are as if silly, like Gustavus I; some are as it were bound, some in some other condition. There were also seen others who burned with the lust of ruling, who were as it were insane, destitute of reason; for example, C[harles] XII, Er[ic] Ben[zel], Jacob Benz[elius], Governor Gyllenborg, and others, who live a wretched life, because it is not permitted them to discharge any function, inasmuch as they regard themselves and do not look to uses; consequently, neither can they be led by the Lord. There is also Dean 2Bredberg. - Also, afterwards, were heard at once, from every direction, many together saying that they live miserably, and can do nothing but some low work, - to which they are compelled, and by which they are kept in bonds.
I afterwards spoke [with] the father Gyllenborg, who had been of such a character that he desired to possess all that he saw. He, too, was in a wretched state performing work, namely, making his clothes and the like. Afterwards were heard many together, who were similar, saying that they are come to the greatest poverty; and at length they seek to do work, in order that they may have food and be clothed. On this account, they then come to a place under the earth where they labor at various things and, according as they labor, they are clothed and fed. They who are in those loves, especially in the love of self appear insane; and as often as they laugh, they perceive that they are insane; but still they return to their insanity, nor do they ever desist. They also believe that insanity is intelligence, and craft, prudence. Although they are insane, yet are they most cunning, some in the highest degree.
But their condition comes to be that they are destitute of intelligence and the life thereof. They are as it were silly, not knowing what they are doing. They are at last reduced to servitude.
I told them, on many occasions, that they are worse than brute animals; and so they are.
Footnotes:
1. He so called himself, KAHL tells us in his Narratiunculae, "because he had three sons, Sven, Samuel, and Peter, who had all been elevated to noble rank and honorable offices." -TR.
2. Swedish, Dompr[ost].
6034. De amore imperandi et de amore possidendi bona mundi
Visus est Franc. pater, sicut absque vita, sed tamen percipiebatur caro sicut vivi hominis, credebatur quod esset arte factus sicut homo, absque cogitationis vita adhuc, sed postea loquebatur, dicens quod is sit Frankarnes fader, 1
et quod sit absque vita cogitationis per vices, et cum accedunt ejus spiritus, quod aliquandiu vivat: causa illius status dicebatur, quod in animo ejus fuerit amor seu cupiditas imperandi super omnia mundi, et quod spiritus recedant ab illo, quia illis imperare vult, et quandoque novi accedant, ejus sors est misera.
[2] Quidam sunt quasi fatui, sicut Gustavus I, quidam sicut vincti, quidam aliter. Visi etiam sunt alii qui flagrarunt cupiditate imperandi, qui sicut insani, nullius rationis, ut C. XII, Er. Benz., Jacob Benz., Landg. 2
H. Gyllenborg, 3
et alii, qui miseram vitam vivunt, quia non aliquo munere fungi illis conceditur, quia se spectant, et non curant usus ita nec a Domino duci possunt: etiam Dompr. 4
Bredborg. - Etiam postea auditi simul undequaque multi simul, quod misere vivant, et quod non aliud possint, quam aliquod vile opus facere, ad quod coguntur, et per quod tenentur in vinculis.
[3] Postea loquutus sum [cum] Gyllenborg Patre, qui talis fuerat ut cupiverit possidere omnia quae vidit, is quoque in misero statu erat, opus faciens, nempe suas vestes et similia. Et postea auditi plures simul qui similes, quod in summam paupertatem veniant, et tandem quaerant opus facere, ut possint cibum habere et vestiri, quare tunc in locum sub terra veniunt ubi laborant varia, et sicut laborant vestiuntur et nutriuntur.
[4] Qui in illis amoribus sunt, imprimis in amore sui, apparent insani, et quoties redeunt insanos se vident sed usque redeunt ad insaniam, nec usquam desistunt et credunt insaniam esse intelligentiam, et astutiam prudentiam, tametsi insani sunt, usque sunt astutissimi, in gradu supremo quidam.
[5] Sed sors illorum fit quod sint absque intelligentia et vita ejus, sunt sicut fatui, nescientes quid faciant, tandem adiguntur ad servitia.
[6] Dixi pluries ad illos, quod sint pejores rutis animalibus, et quoque sunt.
Footnotes:
1. = Francorum pater (verba suecica)
2. = Landtgrefve = Comes (vox suecica)
3. interpuncta addita
4. = Domprost = Decanus (vox suecica)